6 Ways Montessori Elementary School Excels Over Traditional Schools

An authentic Montessori elementary school is quite a bit different than traditional public schools. Where traditional schools rely on memorization and a generic lecture-based teaching system, Montessori schools use hands-on tools to reinforce the retention of information and a self-paced teaching system that encourages children to want to learn.

1. Self-Paced Learning

Montessori school students are not forced to be on the same page at the same time as the rest of the class. Instead, children work independently at their own projects, learning at a pace that fits them rather than trying to keep up-- or losing interest by not being allowed to move forward. Montessori promotes an interest in learning that is central to Montessori theory.

2. Intrinsic Motivation

Montessori is designed around the observation of children, offering them encouragement and guidance only as they require it. This helps build self-esteem, leading to children who take a more active role in their own goals. Children who feel good about themselves are more likely to help others, another key component of Montessori.

3. Developmental Age Groups

Montessori uses a 3-year age group, with new children entering the class each year and others "graduating" out of it. The age grouping corresponds to developmental stages observed by Maria Montessori, but they also allow all children to be among both the youngest and the oldest students in the class.

4. Guided Instruction

Montessori teachers are called guides, and that is their primary function in a Montessori classroom. Children learn to select their own activities and strive for their own developmental goals as the guides observe their progress and offer gentle guidance to help them stay focused and engaged. 

5. Whole-Child Development

The Montessori Method is a whole-child developmental approach. Children learn by doing things instead of sitting idly at generic desks and learning from identical textbooks. They develop fine motor skills needed for manipulating objects and gross motor skills that improve running, jumping, and climbing abilities. They develop strong social skills that include diplomacy, empathy, and social etiquette. Children who spend their developmental years in a Montessori environment make great leaders, take part in their communities, and have respect for the environment and their fellow human beings.

6. Discipline and Motivation

Montessori children learn to regulate themselves and develop an internal motivation that gives them the incentive to try new things and tackle new skills without the need for external rewards or punishments. The idea is that children who feel good about themselves and their environment will motivate themselves to learn and apply their learning to real-world applications.

Beginning with an assignment to educate children who were considered by experts of the time to be unteachable, Maria Montessori recognized that hands-on learning provided concrete examples and more closely resembled how children behaved in unstructured environments. The difference is that every aspect of the Montessori classroom is a carefully prepared environment.